Ballantino
Though the dark-robed man's eyes are full of intense fire as he looks at you, his voice is warm when he speaks to you. "Tell me where the pain is worst, and I will heal you as best I can." Ballantino Rogaceu is the husband of Alejandra. A priest of Sarenrae and former soldier, Ballantino has a stern outward appearance that people find off-putting, but he expresses a deep compassion for his fellow man and a great love for his family. Ballantino is 42 years old and 6'1" tall, making him two years older and five inches shorter than his wife. His skin is notably pale for someone from the south, but it has not been commented upon by anyone for some time as he has spent his whole life as a southerner. He has short black hair and a neatly trimmed beard, and generally dresses in earthy-coloured robes as befitting a man of the cloth. For more festive occasions or travel, he has a set of red robes which are considered more formal. Though he once fought and killed hobgoblins alongside his wife, he now uses Sarenrae's power primarily to heal wounds. However, his former life as a soldier has led him to stridently follow a code of honour that even guides his magical prowess. He has adjusted to life outside the battlefield rather well, though some claim that he was similarly quiet and dour-looking as a solder. His family, the Rogaceu clan, is one of Avenida's largest families, and he spends a fair amount of his spare time tracing back his family tree. Starting with the family of his parents, he has three aunts, five uncles, two brothers, four sisters, and an unfathomably large number of cousins that he continues to attempt to memorize the names of. The Rogaceu are also exceptionally represented in the ranks of the military, with only a few becoming clerics like Ballantino. His total separation from the military has thus alienated some members of his extended family, but those who do know him understand his reasons. Interactions with Pathfinders When in Willowdale, Ballantino can be most often found in one of three places: The forge, working on a new gloved weapon for Alejandra, the hospital, working as an emergency surgeon, and the empty fields around town on days when the sun shines brightly. His personality contrasts that of his wife in some ways, in that she is quick to action and passionate, and he is more level-headed and pensive. On the other hand, they are both rather polite and empathetic towards others, though they generally have different ways of showing this empathy. Alejandra also has something of a nickname for him, referring to him as "Ballanchi" under more casual circumstances. Ballantino has spoken briefly to Halstein on the subject of his wife and daughter. He claimed that the women of the Rogaceu family were immensely prideful and tough, and that he hoped Halstein would take no offence at their more bull-headed behaviour. He has heard of Ru's impression of his daughter, and rather unemotionally claimed that he would like to hear this imitation sometime. He spoke briefly with Kat and claimed that Alejandra has told him quite a bit about the halfling summoner. Before they could explore the topic further, however, he was sickened by the stench of a nearby demon. He has been much more frank with Jura as of late, showing time and time again his willingness to discuss the turmoils of his family with someone he now considers a good family friend. Their discussions have included the subject of the family's traumatic losses to the raising of his children, as well as loyalty to ideals and individuals. At times when Jura has seemed hesitant regarding her role in Noemia's upbringing, Ballantino has told her that he and his wife see that Jura is trying to do the right thing, and that she should have more faith in her ability to do so. They have also more recently discussed religious faith in the context of the Cinder Man. Four Truths In a conversation with Jura, Ballantino revealed that his family suffered greatly not only at the hands of Enicio Vargas' actions, but also due to Alejandra's intense sorrow at the loss of her son and the family's alienation due in part to Alejandra's "rage" that followed her sadness. Each of them has found some way to cope with their situation, and Ballantino called these the "Four Truths" of the Rogaceu family. Jura is now on a personal mission of sorts to discover what these "truths" are, though Ballantino started by outright explaining his own: He promised himself that he would be completely forthright about the death of the son, and never be anything but completely truthful on the subject to friends of the family. He also explained that Noemia's apparent lack of negativity is part of her own truth, and Leão's self-imposed solitude is part of his own truth. Through interactions with these two, Jura learned that Noemia feels a need to compensate for her family's tragedy by rejecting sadness, while Leão rejects relationships in order to protect himself from suffering another loss similar to the loss of his brother. Ballantino would not speak of Alejandra's truth, but informed Jura that she would reveal it to those she learned to trust implicitly. Titles *Married (Alejandra) Category:Follower